Roll changing apparatus



H` SUBKLEW ROLL CHANGING APPARATUS April 16, 1963 ATTORNEY April 16, 1963 H. SUBKLEW 3,085,762

ROLL CHANGING APPARATUS l Filed Jan. 26, 196 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2li/MM AT TUR/VE Y United States Patent O M 3,085,762 RUEJL QHANGHNG APPARATUS Hermann Subidcw, Neuwied, Rhineland, Germany, as-

signer to Berni-ey Machine Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Jan. 26, 19530, Ser. No. 4,734 Claims priority, applicati-nn Germany Feb. 5, i059 3 laims. (Cl. fm2-Sti) This invention relates to an apparatus for changing rolls of patch material in a machine for use in the production of window envelopes or the like.

For example, in the course of manufacture of window envelopes, the window or patch material is continuously drawn in the form of a web from a roll, and when the rolly is depleted a new roll must be applied in the machine. l

Window envelope machines prior to the present invention have provision for only one roll from which the window material is supplied. Consequently, when the material of this roll is exhausted, the machine must be stopped so that the nearly depleted roll can be removed and replaced -by a new one. The new roll must be properly set up before the material from it can be drawn into the feeding device of the machine, and proper set up of the new roll requires considerable skill and time, during which the machine is not producing envelopes. Assuming such exchange of rolls requires only ten minutes and the output of the machine to be 300 envelopes a minute, this would mean a loss in production of 3,000 envelopes, to which must be added a considerable amount of waste of 4envelope making materials until the machine is again working satisfactorily. The conventional window envelope making machines require replacement of rolls about every two to three hours, and each time multiplies the loss in production that has just been enumerated. Another drawback is that after the machine is restarted, the attend-ant must pay full attention to see that the gumming devices and the printing sets, as Well as other parts of the machine, are operating satisfactorily.

Therefore, the present invention is to provide a roll exchanging device which will enable a Window envelope making machine to run practically without any interruption, and thus to avoid the losses and other disadvantages that have just been described.

In accordance with the present invention, the device for uninterrupted exchange of the supply rolls consists of a pivoted carrier for a plurality, preferably two, of window material supply rolls, so that when one is in use the other remains in readiness for use when the rst roll is exhausted, or nearly so.

The invention also consists in the provision of means for the introduction of the web of material from the new roll between the feed rollers of the machine, and, further, in a device for automatically severing the web of material from the spent roll during the introduction of the web from the new roll between the said yfeed rollers.

The device `for introducing the web of material from the new roll is preferably made to include one or more pressure rollers by means of `which -both webs are lapped one -upon the other and pressed against one of the feed rollers of the machine. o

The :arrangement for automatically severing the web coming from the spent roller preferably consists of a knife which is guided in a longitudinally slotted tube. The knife is held in its inoperative position by means of a latch against the action of `a spring, `and means is provided which, when the pressure rollers press against the feed rollers, or one of them, the latch is released and the knife is projected under the action of the spring through the web of material.

3,5,762 Patented Apr. 16, 1953 ICC In accordance with another feature of the invention, angular brake levers are provided which are pivoted to the aforesaid carrier so as to bear ywith their free ends to supply tension on the circumference of each of the supply rolls. When the roll which is in use becomes almost exhausted, its brake lever, owing to its :angular disposition, contacts an electric switch and thereby closes a circuit of an electric signalling device. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention 4by Way of example, and only those parts of an envelope machine are shown to enable an understanding of the invention.

in the drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a portion of a window envelope making machine equipped with an apparatus for changing rolls of web material while the machine is in operation, parts of the apparatus being shown in section and other portions broken away to better illustrate the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the web feeding and cutting portion of the apparatus of FIG. l, showing the feed of the web from Ia new roll into the machine and the knife being released `for cutting the web of the nearly depleted roll.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the upper feed roller and the rocker carrying the pressure rollers by `which the end of the new web is fed between the feed rollers.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the apparatus for changing the rolls of patch material, the knife guide being partially in section to better illustrate the cutting mechanism for severing the web from the nearly depleted roll.

HG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 5-5 of FIG. l.

FlG. 6 is a perspective view of the knife guide, knife holder, and knife, shown in disassembled, spaced relation.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the latch for the knife holder and the connecting link for automatically operating the latch.

B1G.y 8 is a cross section through the web cutting mechanism on the line S-S of FK?. 5

FIG. 9 is a similar section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 5.

FiG. l0 is a wiring diagram of the signal circuit.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

i and Zdesignate the side frames of a window envelope making machine to which the roll changing apparatus of the present invention is applied. The roll changing apparatus generally indicated by the numeral 3 includes brackets 4 and 5 that are mounted on the side frames i and 2 of the envelope making machine. Rotatably mounted in the upper ends of .the brackets is a main transverse shaft 6 supporting a roll carrier 7. Fixed on the shaft 6 are spaced apart bars 8 and 9, each providing oppositely directed arms l0 and ill. The ends of the arms i0 andv 11 are perferably provided with split bearings d2 and i3 for removably mounting transverse rods i4 and l5 that carry centering cones 16-17 and 18;-19 for mounting rolls 20 and 21 of patch material in the form of continuous websZZ and 23. v

The rolls 20 and 2l are under control of brake mechanisms 2d and y2.5, respectively, to regulate tension of the web material and to actuate a signal for indicating when a roll is to be changed, as later described. vThe brake mechanisms are carried on shafts 26 and 27 diametrically disposed at opposite edges of the bars S and 9 with ends thereof oscillatably mounted in ears 2S and Z9. Fixed on the shafts 26 and Z7 are brake levers 30 and 31 having substantially flat outer ends 32 and 33 adapted to bear on the circumferential faces of the respective rolls 20 and Zi under action of coil springs 34. The springs 34 are sleeved on the respective shafts 26-27- One end of each spring is attached to an adjacent bar 8 or 9 and its opposite end attached to a collar 35, there being a collar 35 suitably fixed to each shaft 26-27 in a manner for applying a winding torsion in the springs for pressing the flat ends of the brake levers 3i? and 31 in yielding contact with the circumferential faces of the rolls, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

The shafts 26 and 27 extend through the ears 28 and 29 and each shaft carries a collar 36 having a radially extending pin that forms `a part 37 adapted to close contacts of a switch 38 or 39. The switches 38 and 39 are mounted on opposite diametrical portions of the bar 9. Only one of the switches is shown in FIG. 1, since the other is hidden by the bracket 5, however, both switches and shafts 26 and 27, along with the pins 37 and brake levers, are shown in the diagrammatic FIG. l0.

Fixed in insulated relation on the transverse shaft 6, preferably at the side of the carrier adjacent the switches, are collector rings 4E) and 41, and bearing thereon are brushes 42 and 43 (FIG. 10), for connecting the switches in a circuit 44 with a source 45 of electrical current. Also connected in the stationary part of the signal circuit is a signal device 46 that is adapted to be energized when either one of the switches is closed by a respective brake lever, as later to be described.

The roll carrier is adapted to be manually rotated in the hearings of the brackets 4 and 5 by an actuating mechanism 47, including a worm gear 48 fixed to an outwardly projecting end of the shaft 6 and which meshes with a worm 49 on a transverse shaft Sil having its ends journaled in ears 51 and 52 on the outer side of the bracket 5, as bcst shown in FIG. l. One end of the worm shaft 50 carries a hand wheel 53 by which the worm is rotated to rotate the carrier for positioning one of the rolls for feeding web therefrom into the envelope making machine through a feed mechanism 54, also forming a part of the present invention.

The feed mechanism 54 includes side members 55 and 56 that may be rearward extensions of the patch applying mechanism, not shown, of the envelope making machine. Journaled in the extensions 55 and 56 are upper and lower shafts 57 and 58 carrying feed rollers 59 and 60 which are rotated together in counter rotation to feed the web material therebetween in synchronism with operation of the patch applying mechanism through a gear 61 (FIG. 4). The gear 61 meshes with a gear 62 on the shaft 58 to drive the lower feed roller and the gear 62 meshes with a gear 63 on the upper shaft 57, as best shown in FIG. 4, to drive the upper feed roller. Also mounted in the extensions 55 and 56 forwardly of the lower feed rollers 59 and 6) is a shaft 64 carrying a guide roller 65 under which one or the other webs, and at times both of the webs, is passed to the feed rollers 59 and 60.

In order to start the web from a new roll, the shaft 57 of the upper feed roller pivotally carries thereon a rocker 66, best illustrated in FIG. 3. The rocker 66 is shown as including a plate 67 having depending ears 68 and 69 at the ends thereof that are journaled on the shaft 57 at the ends of the feed roller 59. One edge of the plate 67 projects rearwardly from over `the feed roller 59 and carries spaced apart arms '70 and 71 which terminate in yokes 72 and 73 carrying pressure rollers or wheels 74 and 75 that are adapted to make contact with the portion of the web that is carried over the periphery of the lower feed roller 6i), as later to be described.

Also carried between the extensions 55 and 56 forwardly of the guide roller 65 is the cutter mechanism. The cutter mechanism includes a transverse tubular guide 76 having its ends fixed within openings 77 of the extensions. The tubular guide 76 is provided on the upper side thereof with a longitudinal slot 78 and at the rear side thereof with a similar slot 79. Reciprocably mounted within the tubular guide is a holder 80 carrying a knife or blade S1 that projects through the longitudinal slot 78. The holder S also carries a handle 82 that projects laterally through the slot 79, wherewith the holder may be moved to cooking position with respect to a latch 83, to hold a coil spring 34 in compression. When the latch 83 is released, the spring expands to drive the knife holder across the guide and into snubbing Contact with a counter-spring 85 which is positioned within the opposite end of the tubular guide. The springs 84 and 85 are backed by plugs S6 and 87 that close the ends of the guide (FIG. 5). In order for the latch 83 to engage the holder, a side of the tubular guide has a cross slot 38 that registers with a groove 89 in the holder, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. The latch 83 is pivotally mounted on a pin so that one end 91 is in position to swing through the slot 8S and engage in the groove 39 and the opposite end is in position to connect by a pivot pin 92 with a link 93 by which the latch is automatically operated in opposition to a spring 94 which acts to effect engagement of the latch with the knife holder. In order to actuate the link by the rocker 66, the end of the rocker carries a laterally projecting pin 95 upon which the free end of the link is adapted to bear (see FIGS. l and 2), and to support the link so that a shoulder 96 of the link is adapted to be contacted by the pin to effect reciprocation of the link and release of the latch. The rocker 66 is preferably provided with a handle 97 to facilitate rocking thereof.

The apparatus just described is operated as follows:

Assuming the roll 2) to have been in the position of the roll 21 in FIG. l, with its web of window material '22 traveling underneath the guide roller 65 and between the two feed rollers 59-60 into the envelope machine, and that the roll 20 has been nearly worked up in the course of operation of the envelope making machine, the diameter of the roll 20 has become so small that the brake lever 39, which resiliently rests on the circumference of the roll, closes the switch 38 under action of the spring 34. Closing of the switch 38 actuates the signal 46 to indicate to the attendant of the machine that the roll 20 will soon be depleted. The attendant, who has previously placed the full roll 21 on the carrier, now turns the carrier by means of the hand wheel 53, worm 49 and worm gear 48. During this manipulation of the carrier, the web 22 from the roll 20 continues to run uninterruptedly into the machine, now taking its way over the tubular guide 76 of the cutting mechanism. The attendant draws a short length of the web 23 from the roll 2t) and leads it between the moving in web 22 and the guide roller 65, as marked by the dot and dash line in FIG. l. By carefully turning the roll 21, the end of the web 23 is readily advanced as far as a short distance 1n front of the line of Contact of the feed rollers 59 and 6i), where it stops on account of the friction on the roll 21.

When the web 22 of the roll 20 is exhausted to the point where only a few turns or winds of the web remain in the roll, the pressure rollers 74 and 75 are brought into contact with the end of the web 23 and the web '23 into contact with the web 22., so that both webs are. rmly pressed against the feed roller 60. This is easily accomplished by swinging the hand lever 97 in the direction of the arrow A (FIG. l). At the same time the latch 83 is retracted from the groove 89 of the knife holder and slot S8 of the tube 76 to release the knife holder 80- upon contact of the pin 95 with the shoulder 96 of the link 73. The spring 84, which has been held under compression7 is now free to project the knife holder 80 together with the knife 81 along the slot 78, thereby severing the web 22 from its supply roll, while the envelope making machine continues to run. The envelope making machine now draws its further supply of window material from the roll 21. The remnant of the roll 20 is removed and a new roll is applied between the centermg cones 16 and 17, ready for the time when the signal 46 indicates depletion of the roll 21, whereupon the operations are repeated.

It is obvious that the cutoff of the web from the remnant web 22 is at a point spaced from the feed rollers 59 and 60, therefore the remnant web is gripped by the feed rollers to form a support for the end of the web 23, so that it is guided thereby into the envelope making machine.

lIn this way the exchange of an empty or nearly depleted roll for a new one is carried out without stopping the machine. The waste entailed in the short interval in which two webs of a window material are fed at the same time is usually a length of -about 150 mm. This length is practically negligible, in that it 4amounts to about ten envelopes as compared with about 3,000 in previous methods.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the specific embodiment shown and described, but that it may be changed if deemed necessary for convenience or to suit requirements, without thereby departing from the scope and meaning of the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Apparatus for supplying web from the roll into a machine utilizing the web, said apparatus including counter rotating feed rollers, one of said feed rollers being in slight advance of the other roller and said feed rollers having peripheral faces cooperating to advance a running web therebetween into the machine, a guide roller in advance of the feed rollers to guide the running web thereunder and over said one feed roller, a carrier for supporting a plurality of rolls of web and having one position for carrying one roll in a position for the web therefrom to pass under the guide roller and between the feed rollers, web severing means for cutting off the running web and spaced from the feed rollers in a direction toward said carrier, a transverse guide carrying the severing means normally out of contact with the web, means for shifting the roll carrier to another position when said one roll nears depletion with the web running over the transverse guide and to bring a full roll into the position previously occupied by the nearly depleted roll whereupon the end of the web from the full roll is threaded between the running web and the guide roller where it is stopped short of the cooperating pheripheral faces of the feed rollers, pressing means, means mounting the pressing means for movement of the pressing means into pressing contact with the end portion of said stopped web to bring the end of said web into position to pass with the running web between said feed rollers, and a connecting means between the means which mounts the pressing means and the web severing means to effect severance of the running web at the time said end of the web from the full roll is engaged with the feed rollers.

2. Apparatus for supplying web from the roll into a machine utilizing the web, said apparatus including upper and lower counter rotating feed rollers, the lower of said feed rollers being in slight advance of the upper feed roller and said feed rollers having peripheral faces cooperating to advance a running web therebetween into the machine, a guide roller in advance of the feed rollers, a carrier for supporting a plural-ity of rolls of web and havin-g one position for carrying one roll to pass the web therefrom directly under the guide roller and between the feed rollers, a knife guide extending transversely of and normally out of contact with the running web, means for shifting the roll carrier to another position when the roll nears depletion with the web running over the knife guide to the guide roll-er and to bring a new roll into the position previously occupied by the nearly depleted roll whereupon the end of the web from said new roll is threaded between the running web and the guide roll where it is stopped short of the cooperating peripheral faces of said feed rollers, pressing means, means mounting the pressing means for swinging movement about the axis of the upper feed roller to bring said end of the web from said new roll into position to pass the upper of said feed rollers and for pressing said end of the web against the web running from the nearly depleted roll for movement therewith, a spring tensioned knife carried by the knife guide, means for latching the knife in the guide at one side of the web that is then running over the knife guide, and a lost motion connection between the means mounting said pressing means and said latch mechanism to release the knife for severing the running web on final movement of the press-ing means.

3. Apparatus for supplying web from the roll into a machine utilizing .the web, said apparatus including counter rotating feed rollers, one of `said feed rollers being in slight advance of the other feed roller and said feed rollers having peripheral faces cooperating to advance a running web therebetween into the machine, a guide roller in advance of the feed rollers to guide the web thereunder and over said one feed roller, a carrier for supporting a plurality of rolls of web and having one position for carrying one roll in a position to pass the web therefrom under the guide roller and between the feed rollers, means for shifting the roll carrier to another position when said one roll nears depletion and to bring another roll into the position previously occupied by the nearly depleted roll whereupon the end of the web from the new roll is threaded between the running web and the guide roller where it is stopped short of the cooperating peripheral faces of the feed rollers, pressing memls, means mounting the pressing means for movement over the advanced feed roller to press said stopped end portion of the web against the runing web at the point of contact with the advanced feed roller to pass said end of the web between said feedrollers, and a severing mechanism for cutting off the running web and spaced from the feed rollers in a direction toward said carrier to provide a tail portion of the running web for prolonging the engagement by the feed rollers with the running web to support said end portion of the new web by the running web during feed thereof into the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 794,577 Wood July 11, 1905 1,899,185 Di Ianni Feb. 28, 1933 2,047,280 Melnick July 14, 1936 2,613,042 Dice Oct. 7, 1952 2,718,362 Piperoux et al. Sept. 20, 1955 2,724,426 Bell et al. Nov. 22, 1955 2,930,664 Liebisch Mar. 29, 1960 2,940,507 Butler June 14, 1960 2,974,839 Batlas et al. Mar. 14, 1961 

3. APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WEB FROM THE ROLL INTO A MACHINE UTILIZING THE WEB, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING COUNTER ROTATING FEED ROLLERS, ONE OF SAID FEED ROLLERS BEING IN SLIGHT ADVANCE OF THE OTHER FEED ROLLER AND SAID FEED ROLLERS HAVING PERIPHERAL FACES COOPERATING TO ADVANCE A RUNNING WEB THEREBETWEEN INTO THE MACHINE, A GUIDE ROLLER IN ADVANCE OF THE FEED ROLLERS TO GUIDE THE WEB THEREUNDER AND OVER SAID ONE FEED ROLLER, A CARRIER FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF ROLLS OF WEB AND HAVING ONE POSITION FOR CARRYING ONE ROLL IN A POSITION TO PASS THE WEB THEREFROM UNDER THE GUIDE ROLLER AND BETWEEN THE FEED ROLLERS, MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE ROLL CARRIER TO ANOTHER POSITION WHEN SAID ONE ROLL NEARS DEPLETION AND TO BRING ANOTHER ROLL INTO THE POSITION PREVIOUSLY OCCUPIED BY THE NEARLY DEPLETED ROLL WHEREUPON THE END OF THE WEB FROM THE NEW ROLL IS THREADED BETWEEN THE RUNNING WEB AND THE GUIDE ROLLER WHERE IT IS STOPPED SHORT OF THE COOPERATING PERIPHERAL FACES OF THE FEED ROLLERS, PRESSING MEANS, MEANS MOUNTING THE PRESSING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT OVER THE ADVANCED FEED ROLLER TO PRESS SAID STOPPED END PORTION OF THE WEB AGAINST THE RUNNING WEB AT THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE ADVANCED FEED ROLLER TO PASS SAID END OF THE WEB BETWEEN SAID FEED ROLLERS, AND A SEVERING MECHANISM FOR CUTTING OFF THE RUNNING WEB AND SPACED FROM THE FEED ROLLERS IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID CARRIER TO PROVIDE A TAIL PORTION OF THE RUNNING WEB FOR PROLONGING THE ENGAGEMENT BY THE FEED ROLLERS WITH THE RUNNING WEB TO SUPPORT SAID END PORTION OF THE NEW WEB BY THE RUNNING WEB DURING FEED THEREOF INTO THE MACHINE. 